09 August: International Day of the World’s
Indigenous Peoples
12 August: Standard registrations close for Landcare conference, 22
– 25 August, Mackay
13–17 August: RGC Training on GIS and GPS, Collinsville
14 August: CHRRUP Board Meeting
22 – 25 August: Queensland Landcare
Conference, Mackay.
27 August–02 September: Keep Australia Beautiful Week
30–31 August: 3rd Australia–New Zealand Climate Change
and Business Conference
Recent additions to our “What’s On”
web page:
14 August: AgForward Vegetation Management
Workshop, Woodstock
15 August: AgForward Vegetation Management Workshop, Ravenswood
16 August: AgForward Vegetation Management Workshop, Charters
Towers
22 August: Computer Mapping and Vegetation Management Workshops ,
Mackay
30 August: Community Presentation, Townsville – Fish Passage
Assessment Project
31 August: Closing date, Reef Check Photo Competition
31 August: Early bird registration closes, APEN National Forum,
Canberra
14 September: BBIFMAC General Meeting
17 – 18 September: MERI Capacity Building
Workshop
17 – 19 September: Queensland Coastal
Conference ‘ Shifting Sands ', Bundaberg
23 September: Parks Environmental Open Day, Anderson Gardens ,
Mundingburra
13 – 14 November: APEN National Forum,
Canberra
16 November: Nominations close for the McKell Medal
31 March–3 April 2008: 2 nd International Salinity
Forum, Adelaide
For more information on the events above and
more, go to www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/on/index.html
- 07-09 August: Grazing Land Management Workshop,
Clermont
- 10 August: CSIRO Seminar, Townsville,
11.00am
- AgForward Vegetation Management
Workshops
- Date Change, BBIFMAC General Meeting
- Rubber Vine Weed Eradication Project in the
Belyando Catchment
- Fish Passage Assessment Project
- Palm Island
- Land and Sea Conference Advert
- Pesticide Forum
- Tropical Sciences Research Facility
Launched
- Climate change
- BDTNRM Out and About
- Local Government NRM Network Liaison
Meeting
- Indigenous cultural heritage map
- Topical Savannas Newsletter
- Queensland Quoll Survey
- Northern Australia Land and Water
Taskforce
- Farmer Info newsletter
- Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish
Fishery
- Scientists in Schools Program
- Weed Warrior Program Changes
- Farmers Info Drought Update
- Local Government Reform Commission
Recommendations
07-09 August: Grazing Land Management Workshop,
Clermont
This workshop will be held at the Grand Hotel/Motel. For more
information contact Bronwyn Roberts on 0428 776 249 or bronwyn@chrrup.org
10 August: CSIRO Seminar, Townsville,
11.00am
Dr. Kate Searle, Post Doctoral Fellow, CSIRO Rangelands and
Savannas, will present a seminar on: “Linking pattern and
process in semi-arid rangelands: hysteretic response to grazing
requires a functional approach to assessing landscape
condition”.
Abstract: This model provides a basis for measuring
landscape condition in the face of strong spatial and temporal
environmental variation that is so typical of these systems. The
model predicts that differences in the rate at which key system
components can respond to a system driver (grazing and trampling by
cattle) create lag effects that drive a hysteretic response in
ecosystem function during degradation and subsequent recovery. They
use data from a semi-arid rangeland in northern Australia to test
this prediction, and show that it is only by measuring both
structure and function that an accurate picture of system health
can be captured.
AgForward Vegetation Management Workshops
The workshops will be held as follows:
14 August: Woodstock
15 August: Ravenswood
16 August: Charters Towers
These workshops are important to landholders at the moment, as
it is anticipated new regional ecosystem (RE) mapping will be
released later this year. If a landholder has white country on the
RE map that is not locked in and if it has reached 70% of its
original height and 50% canopy cover, then that area will revert to
“remnant” status. AgForward Vegetation Management
Workshops will help landholders understand the process and
“lock in” their white areas, if interested. AgForward
is an initiative of AgForce Queensland and sponsored by the
Queensland Government.
For further information, visit www.agforward.org.au/pmav%20workshops.htm
or contact Brenda Walhainon walhainb@agforward.org.au or
call 07 3236 3100.
Date
Change, BBIFMAC General Meeting
The next General BBIFMAC meeting has been re-scheduled from
Friday, 31 August to Friday, 14 September 2007: 9.30am –
12.00pm, Summit Conference Room, Haller Financial Services, 15
Queen Street, Ayr. Guest Speaker: Ray O’Grady of
O’Grady Rural, “ Potential Role for BioChar
Production from Sugar Cane Trash and Bagasse and it’s Role in
Reducing Nutrient Retention and Soil Carbon
Building”
Please RSVP for catering purposes to secretary@bbifmac.org.au or telephone 4783 4344
Rubber Vine Weed Eradication Project in the Belyando
Catchment
This cooperative project between Central Highlands Regional
Resources Use Planning Cooperative (CHRRUP), the Jericho and
Belyando Shires, property owners and Central Highlands Natural
Resource Management Group (CHNRMG) aims to eradicate a 5km isolated
stretch of rubber vine along the Belyando River. Rubber vine is
recognised as a weed of national significance, due to the threats
it poses to the economic viability of the landscape, and ecological
values of the catchment system.
An aerial survey of the shire and map the weed infestations
allowed better identification of areas for strategic control.
Funding of $16,000 from CHRRUP and BDTNRM was matched by
landholders, with further investment received from Desert Uplands
as part of the Blueprint for the Bush funding. A contractor will
carry out the initial spraying work, and landholders have committed
to follow up works over the next 3 years as part of their Property
Pest Management Plans. Monitoring sites, where photos are taken and
data collected on a regular basis, will help assess the results of
the project.
For more information contact Bronwyn Roberts, bronwyn@chrrup.org , or phone 4983 1211.
Fish Passage Assessment Project
This BDTNRM project with Alluvium Consulting (funded by the
Queensland Government and the Australian Government Natural
Heritage Trust) is taking a close look at all the potential
barriers to fish movement in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region.
Following the first meeting in Charters Towers, further meetings
are planned in Townsville on 30 August (at
Riverside Community Centre, Riverside Gardens, Townsville) and in
Ayr and Bowen (at dates yet to be determined). A draft copy of
report identifying fish barriers and where fish species are, or are
not, being found is now available on the BDTNRM website. To find
out more, or to see how your local knowledge can help with the
project, visit: www.bdtnrm.org.au/projects/fishpassage.html
Palm Island
BDTNRM’s CEO, Bob Frazer, Coastal and Marine Programme
Coordinator, Rachel Allan, Local Government Coastal Projects
Officer, Leonie Maddigan and Land and Sea Coordinator, Leah
Saltner, recently made the journey to Palm Island to engage with
the Palm Island Council and find out about their NRM issues. The
initial ‘meet and greet’ saw BDTNRM staff introduce
themselves to Palm Island Councillors and Council staff, have a
tour of the island, and scope out possible coast and marine
projects. As with any coastal community, issues such as erosion,
dumped rubbish and coastal infrastructure are of concern. The Palm
Island Council is to be commended for what they have achieved so
far: several beaches remain virtually untouched while the prominent
beaches have relatively less severe coastal issues than might be
seen on the mainland.
Land and Sea Conference Adverts
Watch out for the Land and Sea Conference ad
on WIN TV. It will be running over the next fortnight and is
promoting the Land and Sea conference being held in Cardwell in
9-14 October 2007. BDTNRM is a major sponsor of this conference.
You can have a look at the ads on the BDTNRM website: www.bdtnrm.org.au (click on “Land and Sea
Conference Commercial” in the right hand column). More
information on the conference can be found from our
“What’s On” page: www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/on/index.html
Pesticide Forum
The main points that emerged from this forum on 6 June can be
found on:
www.bdtnrm.org.au/cci/sugarlands/upcoming_events.html
Annual Research Plan for the Marine and Tropical Sciences
Research Facility Launched
BDTNRM CEO and member of our Board of Directors, Bob Frazer,
attended the launch by the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for the
Environment and Water Resources, of the 2007-2008 Annual Research
Plan for the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility
(MTSRF). At this launch held in Cairns on 3 August, the Minister
announced more than $7.6 million in funding for environmental
research efforts to protect North Queensland’s unique reefs
and rainforests.
Climate Change
Our media release featuring comments from Paul Wuth, highlights
some examples of climate change and perceptions about it. For more
details go to: www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/downloads/Climate-Change-July-2007.pdf
BDTNRM Out and About
- Paul Wuth gave a presentation to the Future
Leaders Eco Challenge, organized by GBRMPA on Tuesday 17 July. His
talk focused on inland climate change issues and planning for
climate change . The ‘future leaders’ numbered
approximately 45 students representing 8 or 9 schools from Grades 5
to 11 (11-17 year olds). An international film crew working on
Climate Change special (to be aired on Nickelodeon’s kids
program "Nick News") was also in attendance.
- BDTNRM held a professionally facilitated workshop on 6-7
August, organised by Chloe Schauble , which aimed
to build knowledge and planning skills around contextual data in
NRM – what it is and why we want to collect it .
Special presentations were given by Rowan Eisner (NRW)
“Spatialise your investment strategy” , and
Gabriel Crowley (Tropical Savannas CRC) “InfoNet Project
– giving land managers internet access to information for
informing sustainable NRM”.
- Leonie Maddigan and Rachel
Allen are preparing a presentation “Cane to
Coast: Coastal Management in the Burdekin” in readiness
for the inaugral Queensland State Coastal Conference in Bundaberg
(17-20 September). To find out more about this conference follow
the link from our “What’s On” web page at:
www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/on/index.html
.
- John Nicholas and Gale Duell
attended the Dalrymple Landcare Committee General Meeting at
Kirkton Station on August 3. Meeting hosts, the Hood Family, who
have implemented rigorous woody weed management programmes and
subsequent pasture rejuvenation works, provided a good example of
what can be achieved on properties dealing with the ill effects of
woody weeds on pasture growth, yield and overall carrying capacity
of land.
- Deborah Cavanagh will attend an Australian
Government marketing conference, “Challenges of change”
on 8 August.
- Peter Arthofer participated in a community
engagement workshop with Jim Cavaye on the 31 July. The workshop
covered practical approaches to community engagement; a clear
process for planning engagement ; methods of working with
communities; addressing the issues and questions of participants ;
new ways of evaluating community engagement; tips on managing
conflict in stakeholder engagement; and understanding what drives
participation of stakeholders with government.
- Jenni Edmonds attended the first of a series
of community meetings to present the findings so far and to listen
to local thoughts and ideas about barriers to fish movements. The
meeting was held at Charters Towers and hosted by the Fish
Restocking group. For more information go to www.bdtnrm.org.au/projects/fishpassage.html
.
Local Government NRM Network Liaison
Meeting
Leonie Maddigan, Local Government Coastal Projects Officer,
represented BDTNRM at the Queensland Local Government NRM Network
Liaison Meeting in Hervey Bay on 10 July. This group is made up of
QLD regional body local government representatives as well as NRM
local government officers. Meeting biannually, the group aims to
enhance the facilitation of local government involvement in
regional NRM through Regional NRM bodies such as BDTNRM.
The prominent issue raised at this meeting was local government
reform. With the probability that many Queensland local councils
will be amalgamated into bigger councils, it was realized that many
NRM officers, whether from local government or from regional NRM,
are facing the same issues. As with any change of this magnitude,
there will be challenges, but those working in NRM are committed to
continue aiming towards a more sustainable environment.
Indigenous cultural heritage map
Queensland’s first statewide cultural heritage map lists
more than 200 cultural heritage sites considered significant by
Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The map
includes the state’s oldest known cultural heritage quarries,
rock shelters, carved trees, engravings, paintings, travel routes
and grinding grooves. It also lists settlements and missions,
police and contact sites and massacre sites. Note that it does not
show exact locations due to the fragility of some sites.
Queenslanders wishing to report cultural heritage places in their
area can contact NRW’s Cultural Heritage Coordination
Unit.
For more information go to:
www.nrw.qld.gov.au/cultural_heritage/significant_places/index.html
Topical Savannas Newsletter
This months issue contains many interesting items, including:
latest news from the Indigenous Water Policy Group (welcomes a new
Chair and member, and outlines its strategic development plan);
“Message Disk”, a new DVD that shares the knowledge and
experience of Indigenous dugong and marine turtle managers); the
proposed Australian Centre for Weed Research; Weeds CRC’s
compilation of an image gallery featuring some of the worst weed
infestations in Australia; CSIRO’s GrassGro 3 (the latest
version of the high-powered grazing management software); and a
virtual fence for livestock being developed by CSIRO. In addition,
it features a number of interesting book titles, many of which
relate to north Queensland. For more details, use our link to this
newsletter from www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/links/index.html
Queensland Quoll Survey
Dr John Winter is part of a team studying what has happened to
northern quolls over the last 76 years since the introduction of
the cane toad. They are surveying current quoll populations as well
as gathering anecdotal evidence from places where quolls have
become extinct. Northern quolls are identifiable by their small
size and bushy, black tails. The tiger quoll is larger and has a
spotted tail. If you have seen quolls in your district or in
travels around Queensland please contact the team on jw.winter@bigpond.com phone 4097 0048.
Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce
As part of the National Plan for Water Security, the
taskforce will examine the potential for further land and water
development in northern Australia, with particular emphasis on the
identification of the capacity of the north to play a role in
future agricultural development, in a manner that is ecologically,
culturally and economically sustainable.
The Taskforce is planning to visit a number of locations across
northern Australia in the coming months to access local experience,
skills and knowledge and will also be calling for public
submissions.
An interim report will be prepared in late 2007 and a final
report by March 2009. Copies of the terms of reference are
available at: www.environment.gov.au/water/action/development/nalwt-tor.html
Farmer Info newsletter
Some items in the latest issue include: establishment of a
special Abalone Recovery Group; the State's Top Farmer finalists;
how to help control the invasive seaweed Caulerpa ;
combining resources in long-term nutrient management; and the
annual Agribusiness Dinner. For more details, use our link to this
newsletter from www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/links/index.html
Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin
Fish Fishery
This fishery is the largest and most diverse in Queensland with
more than 750,000 recreational fishers and approximately 500
commercial operators accessing this fishery throughout the
State.
The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries is currently
preparing a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) and other materials
which outline the proposals, due for public release in August 2007
(subject to Government endorsement). Public meetings are planned
for more than 20 locations along the Queensland east coast during
August and September to explain the proposed future management of
the fishery and allow all stakeholders to gain a better
understanding in order to fill out the RIS response forms.
For more information, including how to get regular updates, go
to: www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/16050.html
Scientists in Schools Program
CSIRO and the Australian Government Department of Education,
Science and Training are running this new program that will match
scientists with schools for inspiration, fun and learning.
For more information, visit www.scientistsinschools.edu.au/
Weed Warrior Program Changes
Weed Warriors has been moved from the Department of Natural
Resources and Water to the Department of Primary Industries and
Fisheries, Invasive Plants and Animals, Biosecurity Queensland.
Note that some email addresses have changed as a result of the
move. New resources are currently being printed.
For more information on the program, go to: www.weedwarriors.net.au/about.html
Farmers Info Drought Update
The latest issue includes items about: on-line information to
assist farmers in managing the dry season; drought tax relief; and
an extended deadline for tourism development in drought areas. For
more details, use our link to this newsletter from www.bdtnrm.org.au/news/links/index.html
Local Government Reform
Commission Recommendations
For information in relation to this issue, including the
recommendations and financial positions for individual councils go
to: www.strongercouncils.qld.gov.au/
Privacy Policy
BDTNRM assures you that your personal information will not be
given or sold to any individual or organisation. The Privacy Act
entitles you to access information about yourself held by
BDTNRM.
If you consider this information to be incorrect, incomplete or
in need of adjustment, you may request that it be adjusted. Unless
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may request that it be removed.
For more information or to access your information, please
contact our office (07) 4724-3544 or Deb.Cavanagh@bdtnrm.org.au
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